William h



w. H. JORDAN. CRANK SHAFT FOR BIGYGLES.

(No Model.)

Patented Dec. 31, 1895.

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ANDRDN EGRANAM. PHUTD-UMQWASHINGTON. D C

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\l lLLIAM H. JORDAN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

CRANK-SHAFT FOR BICYCLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,376, dated December 31, 1895.

Application filed \Tune 5, 1895. Serial No. 551,744. (No model.)

T0 00 whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. JORDAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crank-Shafts for Bicycles; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of mechanism in which a crank-shaft is inclosed in a housing or box having suitable bearings in which the crank-shaft may revolve; and it consists of a shaft of novel design with suitable bearings and having on each end a crank, both of which are integral therewith, the whole being particularly adapted for use in bicycles,

velocipedes, and such machines where it is desirable that the journal-box be inclosed and dust-proof between the two journal-bearings, as will be more fully described and shown hereinafter.

In the present state of the art of constructing crank-shafts various methods have been employed for attaching the cranks, being usually secured by means of keys or pins which cause trouble on account of the tendency to become loosened, and at times when it is desirable to remove a crank for the purpose of removing the shaft from the box or housing the key or pin is found to be corroded and difficult to remove without damage to the parts or by the use of special appliances.

There has been a great desire to combine a shaft and two cranks in one piece, and in order to insert the shaft into the housing it has been necessary to make the housing in two parts, providing an opening into one side into which the shaft could be inserted. This had a serious evil in that it was difficult to make the housing or box dustproof or sufficiently strong and unyielding to admit of ball-bearings. Yet another plan was to make the housing of one piece, of the usual cylindrical form, and splice the shaft at its center by a complicated system of beveled faces, collars and screws, which proved to be undesirable and too intricate and unreliable.

My object is to obviate all these evils and difficulties, especially in construction of bicycles, and I have designed a shaft of such form as to fill all the requirements, which embodies such simplicity of form that it is easily constructed and applied, durable in use, and may be applied to the usual inclosed cylindrical form of box or housing having at each end the usual dust-proof ball-bearings.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents my invention shown in perspective in connection with a half-sectional longitudinal view of a bicycle crank-shaft box. Fig. 2 is a view of a sprocket-wheel, the bent shaft, having the straight part in section, and sectional view across the box. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional view of box, with shaft and cranks in perspective in process of insertion or removal endwise through housing or box.

To further illustrate the practical adaptation of my invention, a reference to the drawings will disclose a shaft A having an offset (1, and on each end a crank-shaft c and a, both integral with the shaft. The straight part cl of the shaft and opposite end of same are provided with suitable ball-bearing collars e e and h h, applied in usual manner and to the cylindrical housing of box B. To apply the shaft the crank or arm 0 is inserted endwise through the housing or box, as shown in Fig. 3, the abrupt bend or deflection in the shaft at cl permitting shaft to pass through the box into position, after which the bearingcollars are screwed into or attached to the ends of housing in the usual way, and the removal of the same permits the shaft and crank c to be withdrawn. The abrupt bend or deflection in shaft will revolve within the housing in the usual space necessitated by the insertion of ball-bearing rings.

It is obvious from the foregoing that shafts of various sizes and having an offset or deflection between the two journal-bearings of greater or less degree may be constructed without departing or deviating from the in tent and purpose of my invention; but it is essential that said offset or bend in shaft be located near one journal-bearing at one end of the shaft.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. A crank-shaft having, on each end thereof, a crank which is integral with said shaft; a deflection or return bend in said shaft, begini'ling abruptly at the inn er end of one journal bearing, and after passing the extreme eccentricity of said bend, the line of distortion running gradually to a point near the inner end of the opposite journal bearing, said journal bearings being of any form adaptable to supporting bearings of any desired design, substantially as and for the purpose set forth and described.

2. In a bicycle crank-shaft housing or box, having the usual journal bearings at each end, the combination of a shaft provided with suitable journal bearings and a crank on each end integral with said shaft; a deflection or return bend in said shaft located between the two journal bearings, and near one of them,

abrupt at one side of the center of eccentricity, and gradual at the other side, so designed as to permit the withdrawal of said shaft and one crank endwise from the housing or box, substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.

3. The combination in a bicycle, of a pedalshai't housing or box in one piece for carrying and supporting the cranked pedal-shaft, suitable removable bearings at each end thereof, a shaft revolubly fitting in such bearings having on each end a crank integral with said shaft, and an irregular angular V shaped deflection from a straight line in said shaft within said box and between the bearings, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VILLIAM I'I. JORDAN. \Vitnesses:

M. MCDON LD, EDWIN A. EATON. 

